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Bees building comb in a jar?

I was just browsing bee stuff when I cam across a fundraiser site for a film crew. They had jars turned upside down with the openings fitted into a board. This was on top of a langstroth and the bees were busy building comb inside the jar. For whatever reason, it was fascinating to me. Has anyone ever done this before? Or heard of it? I am donating a beehive to a community garden. What are your thoughts about having this setup on the hive, so that people could check out the bees in action? At the end of the season I could have some novelty comb filled jars to give out.

Re: Bees building comb in a jar?

In order for it to work the hive has to be managed near swarm conditions or the bees ignore the space in the jars. It is a fun project that everybody should try at least once. One thing the video failed to show is that this is done inside a hive body, the jars would not normally be visible.

Re: Bees building comb in a jar?

The bees build comb in the jars and it definately is not a work bypass! It is lots of work, more work to attempt it and the bees have to have a very heavy flow to be made to do it. It will cost you honey productiona and maybe a swarm and the whole crop. Don't enter into the project lightly.

Re: Bees building comb in a jar?

im thinking it would be better to use ross rounds or cassettes. im gonna try some ros rounds that i got when i purchased a bunch of wooden ware from a veteran who was selling out (his back went bad anyone have any luck with ross rounds and/or cassettes ? any tips would be mega rad !

Re: Bees building comb in a jar?

A few strips of comb attached to the bottom, a hole for an entrance and a dark cloth over it and you have a nice observation have with minimal effort. Drilling the entrance without shattering the glass is probably the most difficult step.

Re: Bees building comb in a jar?

I put some empty jars on a hive last year after when I stopped feeding sugar syrup. I just replaced the syrup jars with empty ones with just the rings and no lids. I just dripped a few drops of melted wax in the bottom of the jar. They just went up in there and filled them with comb. Some filled out better than others. They look pretty cool. It wasnt any trouble to do. I just left mine on all season to see how they would turn out. Some had very white comb and some got dark yellow/orange, like they tracked it up. I used quart jars. When I do it again, I will use smaller jars. I dont really have a use for a whole quart jar of comb.